NOVANEWS
Letter 20/09/10
See also at http://www.troopsoutmovement.com/latestnews.htm
August 9, 1971 saw the launch of Operation Demetrius. The imprisonment without charge or trial of hundreds of innocent people from mainly nationalist areas – internment. The most brutal and enthusiastic display of Operation Demetrius was to be enacted in the Ballymurphy area of West Belfast. On that day the world was to see, and indeed largely ignore, the British government and their unionist/ loyalist puppets let loose the death squads of the Parachute Regiment on the people of Ballymurphy.
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19-year-old Francis Quinn was shot dead on August 9 while going to the aid of an injured man, as was Father Hugh Mullan.
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Joan Connolly, aged 50, was also shot dead as she went to assist the injured.
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Daniel Teggart, 44, Noel Phillips, 20, Joseph Murphy, 41, were all murdered by the Parachute Regiment on August 9.
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During the next two days, August 10/11, another five people would be killed or fatally wounded, to die later of their injuries.
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Edward Doherty, aged 28, shot dead while walking along the Whiterock Road.
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John Laverty, aged 20, and Joseph Corr, aged 43, were shot at different points along the top of the Whiterock Road. John was shot in the back, while Joseph was shot multiple times and died later from his wounds on August 27.
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John Kerr, aged 49, who was shot while standing outside church, died of his wounds on August 20.
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Paddy McCarthy, aged 44, was assaulted by Paratroopers, one of whom placed a gun in Paddy’s mouth and pulled the trigger, resulting in Paddy having a heart attack from which he died shortly thereafter.
